The invention relates to an installation element for use in the fields of cooling technology, water treatment or mass transfer, wherein the installation element is self-supporting and is composed of a plurality of plies which are, at least in part, structured spatially and are connected to each other, wherein neighboring plies form between themselves flow paths for a liquid and/or for a gaseous medium.
In addition, the invention relates to a method for the manufacture of such an installation element.
Known from DE 103 57 307 A1 is a contact body, in particular for an evaporative humidifier, wherein the contact body is composed of a plurality of plies which are, at least in part, structured spatially and are connected to each other, wherein neighboring plies form between themselves flow paths that are permeable to air, wherein, on the one hand, the contact body can be loaded with water to be evaporated and, on the other hand, an air current can flow through the contact body with the air being humidified and cooled. In a first embodiment, two types of plies are provided in the contact body, wherein a first type of plies consists of a self-supporting material and a second type of plies consists of an absorbent non-supporting material. The material forming the second type of plies can be laminated to one ply each of the first type, either on one side or on both sides. In a second embodiment, the material forming the plies is a molded geotextile or a molded non-woven fabric or a molded porous plastic material. Preferably, a supporting additive material is mixed or inserted into the geotextile or non-woven fabric, wherein said additive material can be mechanically and/or thermally molded or is liquid initially and can be hardened in a forming mold. Here, the plastic material preferably is a plastic material that forms open pores and can be thermally expanded while it is being molded by adding an expanding additive beforehand. As regards the prior art, this document also mentions that an antibacterially acting additive can be embedded in and/or applied to the material(s) of the plies.
This prior art is considered to be disadvantageous in that the contact body either is complex in its manufacture when different materials are laminated to each other, or comprises a relatively low mechanical stability when a geotextile or non-woven fabric or expanded plastic is used as material for the plies.